Mechanism for selectively controlling the angular movement of a shaft



Oct.v 5, 1937. A. E. ELLINGER 2,094,777

MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING THE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF A SHAFTFiled April 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zlnwnhw U/Avrf 1 11: Iii/yerElnora,

Oct. 5, 1937. A. E. ELLINGER 2,094,777

MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING THE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF A SHAFT-Filed April 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 gum/Mot o L V al'fierlEEfliryprOct. 5, 1937. I A. E. ELLINGER 2,094,777

MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING THBANGULAR MOVEMENT OF A SHAFTFiled April 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 (1 lberf EEll iu qer 351 M PM Oct.5, 1937. ELLINGER I 2,094,777

MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING THE ANGULAR MCNEMENT OF A SHAFTFiled April 11, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jnucnfoz (llborfEiEllirl ger dffox "up Patented Oct. 5, 1937 PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELYCONTROL- LING THE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF A SHAFT Albert E. Ellinger,Snyder, N. Y., assignor to Morrls Goldstein, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application a -u 11, 1929, Serial No. 354,375 1 Claim. (Cl. 192-142)while the position to which it is initially moved This invention relatesto .a mechanism for selectively controlling the angular movement of ashaft or a part operatively connected therewith. More particularly theinvention proposes improvements in a mechanism of the type shown in mycopending application Serial Number 340,759. Generally stated, bothmechanisms include a shaft mounted for angular movement, a

motor for driving the shaft, a series of independently operable latchingmeans for said shaft,

. each being adapted to stop it at some predetermined angular positionand a corresponding series of push-button switches for controlling theoperation of the motor and the latching means.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means foroscillating the shaft or a part operatively connected to it, betweencertain angular limits and for automatically stopping the shaft at anyone of a number of predetermined affecting the ordered operation of themechanism.

A further object isto incorporate in a mechanism of this type means foreffecting the operation of a switch which controls the operation of anyseparate or associated mechanism when'the desired position is reached.

While the mechanism is generally useful for a variety of purposes, it isillustrated in the accompanying drawings as applied to a radio receivingset for controlling the tuning of the set to any of a predeterminednumber of wavelengths or kilocycles. By choosing the wavelengths ofvarious radio broadcasting stations and adjusting the mechanism forcontrolling the movement of the tuning elements of the set to thevarious positions corresponding to such wavelengths, any desired stationmay thereafter be automatically tuned in simply by operating the Figures2 and 3 are front and sidelevations respectively of the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, along line 4-4 ofFig. 2, the initial position of the selector finger being shown indotted lines by-step latching finger and cam.

Figure 7 is a schematic view of the mechanism and the controlarrangement therefor.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of a modified form 'ofconnection between the motor and the shaft.

Figure 9 is a section of the connecting spring utilized in thearrangement shown in Fig. 8.

The shaft whose movement is to be controlled. is indicated at I and, asshown. is mounted on suitable bearing standards 2. It will. of course.be understood, that by controlling the movement of the shaft I, thecontrol of any part operatively connected to the shaft is therebyautomatically effected.

Since the mechanism, as herein shown, is applied to a radio set R, oneend of the shaft, therefore, is connected through the coupling 3 to theshaft S upon which the tuning elements of the radio set R may bemounted. Obviously an angular movement of the, shaft will effect asimilar movement of the tuning elements and hence to tune the set it isonly necessary to control the movement of the shaft I.

The movementof the shaft i may, of course, be effected in any suitablemanner and by any suitable means. An electric motor drive is perthetuning condensers of a radio set are ordinarily limited to a movementwithin the tuning range which generally is 180 more or less, it ispreferred to arrange the drive so as to oscillate the shaft l withinlimits suflicient to cover the tuning range. The oscillation of theshaft may, of course, be accomplished by reversing the motor but itpreferably is accomplished by arranging the motor for rotation in onedirection and connecting it-to the shaft through a suitable trans latingdevice which effects an oscillation of the shaft from the rotation ofthe motor. The translating device illustrated consists of a crank wheel4, an idle crank gear 6 and an intermediate connecting crank 5. Thecrank wheel 4 is driven from the inlotor M through a conventional gearreduction mechanism which is generally indicated by a showih of itscasing C while the crank gear 6 drives a gearj l which is looselymounted on the shaft I. It may\be pointed out that the crankconnection.radius of the crank gear 6 is made larger than thecorresponding radius of the crank wheel 4 so that a rotatiorrof thelatter will effect an oscillation of the former It may also be pointedout that in this type 0 connection, the angle .of oscillation issomewhat limited, an angle of to being most practical, and,

in order to move the shaft 'I throughout the tun-\ ing range which, asstated, generally is in the neighborhood of it is necessary to make theshaft gear I proportionally smaller in diameter than the idle crank gear6.

The connection between the motor M and the shaft I is completed by afriction clutch mechanism which includes the loosely mounted, shaft gearI as one of its elements.

' The clutch mechanism also includes a member '8 which is fixed to theshaft and against which the shaft gear I is resiliently pressed by aspring 9, the spring being held in compression between the gear "I and ashoulder 9a which, also, is fixed to the shaft; 1 A friction discpreferably is interposed between the clutch parts I and 8. 0bviously asthe motor rotates the crank wheel 4, the crank gear 6 will .be turnedback and forth between the limits of its movement thereby effecting asimilar but greater angular movement of ,the shaft I through the shaftgear I.

The invention, as stated, contemplates locking the shaft againstmovement at any one of a number of chosen or predetermined positions.For

this purpose a plurality of latching means, corresponding in number tothe number of predetermined positions desired, are provided and arrangedfor selective operation to lock or latch the shaft against furthermovement when it reaches the predetermined position desired.

The latching means include a series of cams I0 mounted to oscillatewiththe shaft I and a corresponding series of latching elements orfingers II mounted adjacent the shaft I. Only a few cams II] andlatching elements II are herein shown for the sake of clearness but itis to be understood that any number may be used as is found expedient.Each element I I is adapted for independent pivotal movement intoengagement with the periphery of its corresponding cam I0 and for.latching engagement with a radial surface I2 or the like which may beformed in the cam at some point in its periphery, this point beinglocated in accordance with some desired predetermined position of theshaft I. While each cam III will ordinarily have but one radial latchingsurface I2, one or more of them may, when desired, be formed with aplurality of such surfaces either for the purpose of determining anumber of desired predetermined positions or for the purpose oftraversing the entire range of movement stepby-step. The cam indicatedherein at Illa is illustrative of the step-by-step control.

It will be readily appreciated that various causes may, from time totime, render it desirable or necessary to change any one or more of thepredetermined positions at which the shaft is stopped by thelatchingmeans. ing, this may be accomplished by adjusting either the cams I0 orthe latching elements I I angularly about the shaft I The adjustment ofthe cams affords the simplest means for securing this result in thepresent'embodiment and, to this end, each Generally speak-- otallymounted intermediate theirends, upon a rod I4' which is suitablysupported at opposite ends by the bearing standards 2. The upper end ofeach element is forked to extend along the periphery of its particulardisc in both directions,. the fork having a tang Ila to facilitatelatching engagement with the radial surface I2 of its corresponding cam.The pivotal latching movement of each element is eifected by individualsolenoids I6 while the pivotal unlatching movement of all the elementsis effected by a common solenoid I1.

The solenoids I6, hereinafter termed the selector coils, are mounted inany suitable manner. The bore of each element is provided with aprojecting brass sleeve within which a sliding plunger I8 is arranged.The plunger I8 normally extends away from the center of the coil wherebywhen the coil is energized, the plunger is pulled toward the center, theresulting movement being utilized to effect the latching movement of thecorresponding latching element. To this end, the plunger of eachselector coil is connected to its respective latching element I I by anysuitable means such as the spring I 9. The resulting movement of any.particular selector coil plunger I8 is also utilized to effect theclosing movement of a switch 20 which is mounted at one end of the coil,one switch being provided for each coil. The contacts of the switches 20are spring mounted and arranged so that one contact of each switch isaligned with, and adapted to be 'moved by, a rod 2I carried by theplunger I8 of its particular selector coil.

The solenoid I1, hereinafter referred to as the restoring coil, issuitably mounted and similarly provided. with a projecting brass sleeveand with an inner sliding plunger, 22 which is normally offset from thecenter of the coil. The movement of the plunger 22 is, as stated,utilized to effect the unlatching movement of the latching elements, theextent of this movement being limited by a suitable stop. For thispurpose the plunger is connected to the elements II through a rod 23and: U-shaped member 24. The free ends ofthe U-shaped member 24 arepivotally mounted on the bearing standards 2 which support the latchingelements while the body of the U-shaped member 24 loosely engages thelatching elements adjacent their lower ends, it being understood, of

course, that the plunger rod 23 is connected to the body of the member24. l

The U-shaped member 24 is so arranged that it will be engaged by alatching element II and moved by such element only when the latter movesinto a notch of the associated cam Ill. This movement is utilized to.move the central member of a single-pole double-throw switch 25 fromone position-to which, it is normally ur'ged-to another thereby openingthe normally closed contacts on one side and closing the normally opencontacts on the other side. r

The mechanism also includesa solenoid 26, hereinafter termed the cut-outcoil, having a large plunger 21 and a small plunger 28, the largeplunger being ofiset from the center of the coil and separated from thesmall plunger 28 by a spring 29. This arrangement is utilized to delaythe opening of the contacts of a normally closed switch 30 for a veryslight interval after the cutout coil has been energized. The smallplunger I so - opening of the normally closed contacts of the '2 is,therefore, provided with a rod 3| which is arranged to extend adjacentone contact arm of the switch 30 and, when properly moved, to open thecontacts thereof.

In the control arrangement which is shown in Figure '7, a series ofmanually operable push-button switches 32 are provided, one switch foreach desired predetermined position, that is to say one for eachselector coil I6. Each switch 32 is connected in series with itscorresponding selector coil and in parallel with the switch 20 which iscontrolled by that coil, the connection, as a whole, being arrangedbetween one side of a suitable somce of energy (not shown) and one sideof the driving motor M. The other side of the motor is connected throughthe normally closed contacts of the switch 25 to the other side oipower. The restoring coil I1 and the cut-out coil 25 are placed inparallel with the motor, it being noted that the restoring coil circuitincludes the cutout coil switch 30 but excludes the switch 25 which isincluded in the motor circuit.

' When the mechanism, herein shown, is adjusted for controlling themovement of the shaft I to any of a number of predetermined positions,the shaft may be operated to the desired position simply by depressingthe proper selector switch 32. It is evident from the arrangement shownin Figure 7 that such operation of the selector switch 32 not onlyenergizes the corresponding selector coil I6, but at the same time alsoenergizes the restoring coil ll, cut-out coil 26 and the motor M.The'energization of the selector coil I6 will, of course, tend to pullthe corresponding latching element I l into contact with its cam II] butthis action is momentarily prevented by the restoring coil I1. Therestoring coil is designed to have a much stronger pulling efiect thanthe selector coils I6 with the result that it moves the latching elementaway from the cam.. The restoring coil,

however, remains energized for a slight interval only, its circuitbeingopened by the delayed acting cut-out coil 26. As soon as the restoringcoil I1 is deenergized. the selector coil I6 becomes effective to movethe latching element I I into engagement with its cam III. This movementis effective to close the switch 20 ofthat particular coil which beingin parallel with the push-button 32 permits the latter to be released.This action of the coils I6 and I1 ordinarily occurs so quickly as torequire the push-button 32 to be depressed for a veryv slightintervalonly. In the meantime the motor M-angularly turns'the shaft Iand as- ,sociated cams l'll betw'eenfl its oscillatory limits until theshaft I .reaches1the..-predetermined position desired at which point theradial surface I2 not the proper cam moves'into engagement with theoperative latching element .to latch or lock the shaft in such position.The movement of the latching element I I into the cam notch effects theswitch 25 thereby opening the circuits of the motor M, selector coil I6and cut-out coil 26. This I actuation oi the switch 25 which alsoeffects the closure of its normally open contacts, may be uti I,

by a momentary operation of the switch 32.

tion between the element and the radial surface I} of the engaged cam.It may be pointed out, however, that this element will be returned toits initial position upon the operation of either one of the manuallyoperable switches 32, through the momentary restoring action of therestoring coil I1 as previously described. Hence in order to move theshaft I to another predetermined position, it is only necessary tooperate the proper manual switch 32 whereupon the restoring coil I1 isenergized to return the latched element II to its normal position whichat the same time permits the switch 25 to return to its normal position,this switch thereby completing the circuits of the motor M, selectorcoil I6 and cut-out coil 26 to repeat the position selecting operation.

When it is desired to operate the mechanism step-by-step over all, orany portion of, its range of positions, it is simply necessary todepress the proper switch 32 once for each degree of movement asdetermined by the spacing of the'notches in the step-by-step cam IIlo.

As long as themovement of the shaft I is to be effected through themotor M, any element II which is latched to its respective cam I0 may bepermittedto remain in such latched position.

When it is desired, however, to move the shaft manually-this beingpermitted by the friction clutch without requiring the disengagement ofthe clutch parts-it is necessary to return the element to its initialposition. This may be accomplished through the restoring coil I'I simplyThe manual movement of the shaft in the embodiment illustrated, to anyposition may be accomplished by grasping and turning the shaft or-any ofthe associated rotatable parts. Of. course, where desired, a handle maybe suitably incorporated in the mechanism for thisv purpose.

This device is adjusted to the difierent positions in the same manner'asthe device described and claimed in the copending application noted.

It may be pointed out that in the operation of the mechanism, the motor,while deenergized at the time the shaft is locked against movement, maycontinue to rotate for a very short interval ever, be corrected upon thenext movement oi the cams which bring the tuning elements to the end oftheir movement in one direction or the and thus eiIect a furthermovement of the transother. The tuning elements at this point areprevented from further movement but permit the continued movement of thetranslating device up to its point of reversal thereby bringing theseparts into the proper relation.

' The change in the relative arcs of. the cams and translating devicemay be entirely prevented by the use oi an arrangement such as thatshown in Figures 8 and 9. In this arrangement the translating device ispositively connected to the shaft 1 by securing the gear 1 directly tothe shaft. In order to permit the motor to continue "its limitedrotation when the shaft and translating device are locked againstrotation and the motor circuit is opened, a spring 33 is utilized toconnect the crank wheel 4 of the translating device to the driven shaftof the reduction gear mechanism. It will be readily appreciated,however, that a clutch may be utilized at this point in place 01' thespring 33.

While the translating device as shown herein is arranged between theshaft I and the motor,

it should be understood that it may be otherwise f/member and formovement into engagement with located. For example, it may be utilizedto can'- nect the shaft 5 and the shaft I, the cam s4) in such casebeing rotated in one direction only.

With that type of construction, it is contemplated to place the cams andassociated mechanism beneath the radio set R with the crank 5 extendingupwardly into the set.

Having fully described my invention, I claim: An arrangement forcontrolling the angular movement of. a' shaft comprising a memberarranged for movement with said shaft, anelement said member to latchsaid shaft at a predetermined point, a manually operable switch, acircuit controlled by said switch, means included in said circuit formoving said element away from said member and for immediately thereaftereffects the latching of said shaft at said prede 10 termined point.

ALBERT E. ELLINGER.

